BARRINGTON — Two residents who were found dead on Monday by their son, who went to their home after not being able to reach them, had died days earlier, according to police.

The couple, who lived in a two-story single family house, are believed to have died on Saturday, March 8, said police officer Toby Perry.

Barrington police announced Thursday that the 61-year-old couple, David F. and Barbara Miller, were pronounced dead at the scene at 5:48 p.m. on March 11 due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

In light of the local couple’s death last week, Fire Chief Rick Walker encourages residents to have carbon monoxide detectors in their homes.

After an autopsy was conducted by the state medical examiner, it was determined high amounts of carbon monoxide were the cause of the Millers’ deaths, said Walker.

He said on Wednesday, after the autopsy, the Fire Department and the state Fire Marshal’s Office conducted a four-hour investigation of the couple’s home, and found that the source of the carbon monoxide was a malfunctioning stove.

Walker said any appliance that produces combustion, and burns either gas or oil, can potentially emit carbon monoxide. To be safe, he recommends having carbon monoxide detectors in all homes.

He said the Millers’ home did not have carbon monoxide detectors. Typically, detectors sound an alarm when carbon monoxide levels reach 35 parts per million — which can be a dangerous level with long-term exposure.

The stove in the couple’s residence, at some instances, discharged more than 300 parts per million, said Walker.

Carbon monoxide becomes more lethal at higher concentrations. Walker said it is speculated that the Millers used the stove on Saturday, shut the stove off without ventilating their residence, and the high carbon monoxide concentration lingered in the house, causing the couple’s death.

Members of the Police and Fire departments responded to the incident at 5:48 p.m. Monday, after a report of a probable untimely death. The Millers were already dead at the scene. That day, the fire department did not detect any carbon monoxide at the home; it’s believed the gas had already dissipated by the time emergency officials got to the scene, said Walker.

It wasn’t until Wednesday that fire officials tested each appliance at the home and determined the stove was causing the high carbon monoxide levels.

The police and fire departments are not releasing the Millers’ address.

According to Walker, while homeowners are typically more mindful of having smoke detectors than carbon monoxide detectors, the fire department has been seeing an increasing number of homes equipped with carbon monoxide detectors.

He said detectors for carbon monoxide are generally low maintenance. When the detector goes off, Walker recommends residents call the fire department, open doors and windows, and then wait outside for fire officials to arrive.